APSIL -Chapter 106 Looking for Someone at the Directorate of Ceremonial

For the ordinary citizens gathered outside the Shuntian Prefecture, the trial was more than satisfying.

Over twenty men had been sentenced to death, while several others received flogging and lifelong penal labor. It was enough to convince everyone that the upcoming autumn executions would be quite a spectacle.

For Zhang Shou, however…

It was thoroughly disappointing.

There had been no dramatic attempt to rescue the prisoners.

Well…

No one had stormed the courtroom, turning the entire case upside down.

None of the defendants had defiantly challenged the prefect, provoking furious interrogations, torture, and steadfast refusals to confess.

Nor had some imperial messenger suddenly arrived from the palace to throw the proceedings into chaos.

In short…

There had been no excitement at all.

He had even secretly hoped that Ding Hai—the overly talkative villain he’d met at Cuiyun Pavilion—would make a scene in court.

Instead…

The man had obediently pleaded guilty.

Even Prefect Wang, whose reputation preceded him, never pressed further to uncover the mastermind behind the rebellion.

So as court officers loudly announced the verdicts and the gathered crowd slowly dispersed…

Zhang Shou couldn’t help suppressing a yawn.

The truly disappointed one, however, was Chu Ying.

He had thought fate had smiled upon him by bringing such a promising young scholar within reach.

Now, as he stood to leave and watched Zhang Shou rise gracefully to thank him, apologize, and bid farewell…

He finally couldn’t hold back.

“My home is in East City’s Lamb Alley.”

“When you’ve time…”

“…come visit.”

Qi Jingshan burst into laughter.

“Old Chu…”

“I merely lent Zhang Shou a small house.”

“Old Ge nearly declared us mortal enemies because of it.”

“If he heard you were trying to steal away his disciple…”

“…he’d fight you to the death.”

“Hmph!”

“I couldn’t care less!”

Chu Ying answered stubbornly.

Yet looking at Zhang Shou’s fresh, handsome face—which so strongly resembled the young Ge Yong—he couldn’t resist patting the boy gently on the shoulder.

“The Mathematics Department of the Imperial Academy has been declining for far too long.”

“It’s rare for His Majesty to finally decide to revive it.”

“As one of its professors…”

“…you must do your utmost.”

“When Jiuzhang Hall is repaired…”

“If you’re willing…”

“Old Qi and I could each give a few lectures.”

Zhang Shou’s face lit up.

He bowed deeply once more.

“Then, on behalf of the incredibly fortunate students of the Imperial Academy’s Mathematics Department…”

“…I thank both of you in advance.”

Watching Zhang Shou leave happily with Qiao Hu and Yang Hao…

Chu Ying slowly walked to the window.

Then he turned to Qi Jingshan.

“Even back then…”

“Whether it was Old Ge, you, or me…”

“We loved mathematics from childhood.”

“But we all believed we first had to become successful officials…”

“…before passing our knowledge on to carefully chosen students.”

He paused.

“But somehow…”

“I don’t think Zhang Shou cares much about becoming an official.”

Qi Jingshan smiled thoughtfully.

“Because he’s the future son-in-law of the Zhao Duke.”

“And Grand Secretary Ge’s disciple.”

“Old bones like us, who’ve spent our lives dreaming of mathematics flourishing once more…”

“…will naturally support him.”

“He doesn’t need to struggle through officialdom like Old Ge did to preserve his family’s scholarly legacy.”

“Nor does he have to fight his way upward as we once did.”

“When someone has no worries about livelihood…”

“Some people indulge themselves in pleasure.”

“But others…”

“…devote themselves wholeheartedly to what they truly love.”

“I think Zhang Shou belongs to the latter.”

“Much like the Princess Chang’an’s husband back then.”

Chu Ying’s brow finally relaxed.

“You’ve got a point.”

“When life’s secure…”

“You can devote your entire life to your passions.”

“We weren’t fortunate enough to have that luxury when we were young.”

“But at least we lived long enough.”

“Now, in our old age, we can finally immerse ourselves in the mathematics we’ve loved since childhood.”

He sighed.

“If only we’d accomplished more over the years…”

“…Jiuzhang Hall at the Imperial Academy wouldn’t have fallen into such decline.”

Qi Jingshan also sighed before smiling.

“By the way…”

“Would you like to visit Old Ge?”

“The three of us failed to uncover the secret behind those thirteen letters…”

“…yet a youngster solved them first.”

“We might as well go verify the calculations ourselves.”

Chu Ying burst into hearty laughter.

“We’re merely assistants now.”

“Didn’t you see how frantic Minister Lu looked?”

“Come on.”

“Let’s see whether Old Ge has finished checking everything.”

“Hmph.”

“A teacher isn’t necessarily better than his student!”

Thus, the two elderly scholars—who had spent the first half of their lives pursuing official careers and the second half pursuing learning—headed happily toward Ge Manor.

Meanwhile…

Zhang Shou continued wandering through the capital.

He found a small shop and treated the two boys to several famous local snacks as lunch.

Afterward…

Without really noticing where he was going…

He found himself riding eastward until he reached Dong’anmen Avenue, just outside the Imperial City.

This was one of the main roads leading into the palace.

Rows upon rows of brilliantly armored soldiers stood motionless like statues all the way to Dong’an Gate.

To Zhang Shou’s surprise…

Along this avenue stood not only familiar government offices such as the Court of Imperial Entertainments and the Bureau of Foreign Affairs…but also several agencies he had never expected to find here.

For example…

The Directorate of Ceremonial.

Why was the Directorate of Ceremonial outside the palace?

Ordinary citizens still walked along the sides of the avenue.

Government offices like the Court of Imperial Entertainments had only a couple of guards posted outside.

Security wasn’t particularly strict.

Yet the Directorate of Ceremonial…

Hadn’t even posted gatekeepers.

Every passerby instinctively avoided the building, giving it a wide berth.

The atmosphere unconsciously reminded Zhang Shou of the infamous Eastern Depot and Imperial Secret Police from history.

Curiosity getting the better of him, he led Qiao Hu and Yang Hao over.

Standing before the entrance, he peered inside.

Even then…

No burly guards rushed out to shout at him.

The compound was utterly silent.

It felt almost abandoned.

Remembering the request Chu Kuan had made back at Moonlight Pavilion…

Zhang Shou thought of something.

He had already assumed his position as a professor at the Imperial Academy.

Yet Chu Kuan still hadn’t mentioned anything about providing students.

So he simply walked to the tall threshold, leaned inside, and called, “Excuse me…”

“Is anyone here?”

Receiving no reply, Yang Hao and Qiao Hu exchanged glances.

Having stuffed themselves with tea and snacks at the teahouse, the energetic boys immediately rushed forward.

“Teacher!”

“Looking for someone?”

“Should we go inside and ask for you?”

“My voice is loud!”

“I’ll call them!”

Pedestrians…

Nearby soldiers…

Everyone turned to stare.

Where had these country bumpkins come from?

How dare they approach the Directorate of Ceremonial just because it looked deserted?

And make such a racket!

Yet once people recognized Zhang Shou’s face…

Most merely clicked their tongues.

So just because he’s handsome…

He thinks he can provoke the Directorate of Ceremonial—an office everyone avoids?

Though Zhang Shou quickly stopped the two overenthusiastic boys…

The commotion had already alerted someone inside.

A short while later…

A middle-aged man wearing a grayish-brown robe appeared.

He had a round, prosperous-looking face and narrow eyes.

At first glance…

He resembled a wealthy merchant more than anything else.

Meeting Zhang Shou face-to-face, he smiled warmly.

“Young sir…”

“Whom are you looking for?”

Everyone secretly watching held their breath.

They all waited for the Directorate’s famous smiling tiger to suddenly lose his temper after hearing the answer.

Instead…

Everyone froze.

“I’m looking for Eunuch Chu.”

“May I ask whether he’s here?”

Even Lü Chan—the infamous “Smiling Tiger” of the Directorate of Ceremonial, usually all smiles but said to be more terrifying than a demon when angered—stood there dumbfounded.

He carefully looked Zhang Shou up and down several times.

Then realization struck.

“Oh my!”

“So it’s you!”

“Our Old Ancestor has been mentioning you constantly!”

“What an honored guest!”

“Please, please come in!”

As everyone watched the young man—whom they’d moments ago dismissed as an ignorant country fool—being respectfully escorted into the Directorate of Ceremonial…

Countless jaws dropped.

News spread through every nearby government office like a whirlwind.

The Second Prince has finally been released from palace confinement!

He’s entered the Directorate of Ceremonial’s outer office!

Why the Second Prince?

Wasn’t it obvious?

Rumor had it the Second Prince was extraordinarily handsome, elegant, and courteous.

He rarely left the palace, and when he did, he seldom used Dong’an Gate.

Few people had ever actually seen him.

But the descriptions matched that refined young gentleman perfectly.

Besides…

If he weren’t the Second Prince…

Would the infamous Smiling Tiger, Lü Chan, really treat him with such overwhelming respect?

Would he mention “our Old Ancestor”—Chu Kuan, the future head of the Directorate of Ceremonial—thinking about him?

After entering the compound…

Zhang Shou casually examined the simple but dignified old buildings lining both sides of the courtyard.

Then, in a curious tone, he asked the middle-aged man leading him, “Uncle…”

“You know who I am?”

“May I ask your honorable name?”

The man’s voice was deep and powerful.

There were even a few sparse whiskers visible beneath his chin.

He looked nothing like Chang Ning—the palace eunuch Zhang Shou had met previously.

If the man wasn’t actually a eunuch…

Calling him “Eunuch” would be embarrassing at best and offensive at worst.

After all…

Zhang Shou came from an era where every man could be called “bro” or “sir” and every woman “miss” without offending anyone.

Calling someone “Uncle” certainly couldn’t hurt.

“Uncle…”

Lü Chan actually stopped walking.

From the days when he’d been called “Little Lü” or “Little Chan” upon entering the palace…

To later becoming “Eunuch Lü”…

Then “Chief Steward Lü”…

Very few people addressed him any other way.

Only the occasional street vendor, unaware of his identity when he wandered the markets in plain clothes, would casually call him “uncle.”

Unexpectedly…

Hearing the word now…

Felt warmer than “Eunuch”…

Or “Chief Steward.”

He stood there blankly for quite a while before smiling apologetically.

“Doctor Zhang…”

“With looks like yours…”

“You couldn’t find another in the entire capital even with a lantern.”

“How could I possibly fail to recognize you?”

“My name is Lü Chan.”

“I’m an Attendant of the Directorate of Ceremonial.”

“Eunuch Chu is my Old Ancestor.”

“He speaks of you often.”

“He’s not serving in the palace today.”

“He happens to be here.”

“You’ve come at just the right time.”